Golden Orfe Behaviour

[mark4785]

Hello,

I have a shoal of golden orfe (3 to be exact) within a 1400 liter pond along with another 12 fish of various species. All the fish are eating very well a part from two of the orfe which I have noticed tend to chase each other around the pond for brief moments. The other orfe has a huge appetite and currently eats high protein 'pond one' fish flakes for smaller fish. I was wondering if the two that are refusing to eat are mating or maybe the climate can cause changes in behaviour? My pond water quality (nitrite, nitrate, PH and ammonia levels) is perfect and there are no other changes in behaviour regarding the orfe other than they completely avoid food, even when it is chucked above them.

I have read that orfe may eat small flies on the surface of the water and I have witnessed the two that are not eating jumping up the side of the pond where there is a 'perceived' fly. In fact, the object is not a fly but a simple discolouration. Have they reverted to eating a more natural food or should I be concerned by their behaviour?

 

[Nick16]

the orfe i have (4 large ones) do eat alot but the do leap into the air to catch the mosquito's that hover above the water. Its the same for my koi.

However, you could try varying the food you give the fish?

i would blame it on the temperature as fish dont eat much during the winter but its warmed up now!

 

[mark4785]

Thanks for the reply,

My orfe are relatively small (around 13cm) and they are very picky in terms of what they eat. They will either eat the flakes which I mentioned in the initial post or 'Nishikoi' multi-colour protein sticks. I mainly choose to feed them the flakes as the ghost carp and koi always push them out of the way for the sticks! At this point, the two orfe will not eat either of the two foods.

Are there any particular foods that golden orfe cannot resist? Lol.

 

[mark4785]

Do orfe prefer to eat flies, larvae and other natural things that predominately exist in the summer months? Is this why they are evading the food I put into the pond?

I do not know how they are going to survive the cold winter months if I can't get them to eat healthy foods to increase their fat content.

 

[mattbond]

if you dont mind paying some money, freeze-dried krill, river shrimp, and insects are favourites and also float like flies would